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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 685 records · Page 38
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NASA NTRS1975

Ionospheric scintillation by a random phase screen Spectral approach

The theory developed by Briggs and Parkin, given in terms of an anisotropic gaussian correlation function, is extended to a spectral description specified as a continuous function of spatial wavenumber with an intrinsic outer scale as would be expected from a turbulent medium. Two spectral forms were selected for comparison: (1) a power-law variation in wavenumber with a constant three-dimensional index equal to 4, and (2) Gaussian spectral variation. The results are applied to the F-region ionosphere with an outer-scale wavenumber of 2 per km (approximately equal to the Fresnel wavenumber) for the power-law variation, and 0.2 per km for the Gaussian spectral variation. The power-law form with a small outer-scale wavenumber is consistent with recent F-region in-situ measurements, whereas the gaussian form is mathematically convenient and, hence, mostly used in the previous developments before the recent in-situ measurements. Some comparison with microwave scintillation in equatorial areas is made.

Rufenach, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Strong scintillations in astrophysics. I - The Markov approximation, its validity and application to angular broadening

The Markov approximation to the propagation of waves in an extended, irregular medium is discussed in an astrophysical context. A new derivation is presented which is simple and which shows that the assumption of Gaussian statistics used by previous authors is irrelevant. We discuss the relevance of the approximation and show that it may apply in many situations of interest, including interstellar scintillations of pulsar signals. The approximation does not require the assumption of weak scattering or Gaussian correlation functions. The Markov equation for the angular spectrum is particularly simple, and solutions are discussed for typical turbulence spectra. It is found that the equation for the angular spectrum is very nearly that used by previous authors, and the present discussion shows that these results are much more general than previously thought. A possible observational test for distinguishing between Gaussian and power-law interstellar density spectra is discussed.

Lee, L. C.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A characterization of transionospheric fading communication channel

Using a multiple-scatter propagation theory, the characteristics of the transionospheric satellite-earth communication links are related to the parameters of the ionosphere. General equations for the frequency correlation functions are derived. Some approximate solutions are obtained and numerical examples are given. Also discussed are the degree of coherence and potential applications of the procedure to characterize the intense fading channel.

Liu, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Estimates of saltation threshold and erosion rates on Mars

The Mariner 9 photographs of the Martian surface include many which show crater-associated streaks caused by atmospheric winds. Due to the low density atmosphere of Mars, the wind speeds necessary to move surface particles and thus cause the streaks are apparently very high. The atmospheric-boundary-layer wind tunnel has been used to determine threshold speeds for particles of varying density and diameter and the results for small particles have been extrapolated to estimate somewhat lower threshold speeds on Mars than previous estimates. A series of streak modeling tests is used to derive an erosion-rate correlation function, which is in turn used to estimate erosion rates to the lee of some of the craters on Mars which exhibited time-dependent streak behavior during the mission.

Iversen, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Thermal diffuse X-ray scattering in simple metals

Calculations are reported for the ionic structure factor and X-ray scattering cross section of sodium (at T=0 K and 90 K) and lithium (both isotopes at T=0 K) within the harmonic approximation. An evaluation of the appropriate displacement- displacement correlation function by the special point method circumvents the need for a multiphonon expansion. In the case of sodium, the structure in the one-phonon scattering was straightforwardly accounted for, and an approximate expansion was obtained for all multiphonon scattering. By treating core and conduction electrons on an equal footing, it is shown that information on the conduction electron system is present in the forward scattering component. In lithium the one-phonon cross section at small angles aids in the determination of the effective electron-ion interaction.

Straus, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Directional acoustic measurements by laser Doppler velocimeters

Laser Doppler velocimeters (LDVs) were used as velocity microphones to measure sound pressure level in the range of 90-130 db, spectral components, and two-point cross correlation functions for acoustic noise source identification. Close agreement between LDV and microphone data is observed. It was concluded that directional sensitivity and the ability to measure remotely make LDVs useful tools for acoustic measurement where placement of any physical probe is difficult or undesirable, as in the diagnosis of jet aircraft noise.

Mazumder, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A nonlinear theory of cosmic-ray pitch-angle diffusion in homogeneous magnetostatic turbulence

A plasma strong turbulence, weak coupling, theory is applied to the problem of cosmic-ray pitch-angle scattering in magnetostatic turbulence. The theory used is a rigorous generalization of Weinstock's 'resonance broadening' theory and contains no ad hoc approximations. A detailed calculation is presented for a model of 'slab' turbulence with an exponential correlation function. The results agree well with numerical simulations. The rigidity dependence of the pitch-angle scattering coefficient differs from that found by previous researchers. The differences result from an inadequate treatment of particle trajectories near 90 deg pitch angle in earlier work.

Goldstein, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A BBGKY framework for fluid turbulence

A framework is presented for a systematic kinetic theory of turbulence originating from the Liouville equation for the Fourier coefficients of fluid variables. The real and imaginary parts of these Fourier coefficients play the role that particle coordinates (positions and momenta) play in the BBGKY theory. The basic relations of the problem are the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions with zero viscosity, with the probability distributions of Fourier coefficients rather than moments being the basic variables of the theory. A kinetic equation is derived and shown to possess a number of requirements that any reasonable kinetic equation must have: conservation laws, positive-definite spectral densities, and an H-theorem. The major lack in the theory is any reliable information on the relaxation predicted by the complicated linear operator H. Closure of the hierarchy is achieved by the hypothesis that the five-coefficient correlation function is negligible. Problems associated with inclusion of viscosity and external driving forces are discussed.

Montgomery, D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Thermal microwave emission from half-space random media

Brightness temperatures resulting from microwave thermal emission from a half-space random medium are calculated. The random medium has a nonuniform temperature profile and is characterized by correlation functions that possess both vertical and lateral variations. Radiative transfer equations are derived. They are solved with an iterative integral equation approach for small scattering albedo and with a numerical approach for general cases. New results are illustrated, discussed, and compared with various special cases. Phenomena caused by resonant scattering, which is absent under Rayleigh approximations, are revealed. Scattering in the lateral direction contributes to the decrease of the equivalent reflectivity and the increase of the brightness temperature.

Tsang, L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Directional acoustic measurements by laser Doppler velocimeters

Laser Doppler velocimeters (LDVs) are used as velocity microphones to measure sound pressure level in the range from 90 to 130 dB, spectral components, and two-point correlation functions for acoustic-noise source identification. Close agreement between LDV and microphone data is observed. Directional sensitivity and the ability to measure remotely make LDVs useful tools for acoustic measurement where placement of any physical probe is difficult or undesirable, as in the diagnosis of jet noise.

Mazumder, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Classical trajectory study of internal energy distributions in unimolecular processes

Energy flow in a molecular system such as CD3Cl or CD3H representing a chemical activation experiment is studied by the method of classical trajectories. A correlation function method is used to obtain energy distributions before and after the breakup of the activated molecule. The energy distribution in the final product is found to be randomly distributed for a surface with no exit channel barrier or strong intermode couplings. Nonrandom energy distributions result when these special forces are present. Product channel barriers result in an excess of translational energy and exit channel intermode couplings result in nonrandom vibrational distributions.

Mcdonald, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Sub-baud coding

In a spread-spectrum communication system, a data sequence of +1's and -1's is expanded into a sequence of +x's (bottom bar) and -x's (bottom bar) where x (bottom bar) is a length n sequence of +1's and -1's. A sub-baud code is the assignment of a different such baud sequence to each of M users with the objective of reducing interference between users. It is shown that this interference can be described in terms of the even and odd correlation functions between pairs of sequences. A technique for deriving sub-baud codes from cyclic error-correcting codes is given, and a theorem proved which bounds the quality of the resultant code. A specific such cyclic code construction procedure is given which, for any M, yields a sub-baud code for which the mutual interference can be made arbitrarily small by choosing n sufficiently large.

Massey, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Concepts and methods for describing critical phenomena in fluids

The predictions of theoretical models for a critical-point phase transistion in fluids, namely the classical equation with third-degree critical isotherm, that with fifth-degree critical isotherm, and the lattice gas, are reviewed. The renormalization group theory of critical phenomena and the hypothesis of universality of critical behavior supported by this theory are discussed as well as the nature of gravity effects and how they affect cricital-region experimentation in fluids. The behavior of the thermodynamic properties and the correlation function is formulated in terms of scaling laws. The predictions of these scaling laws and of the hypothesis of universality of critical behavior are compared with experimental data for one-component fluids and it is indicated how the methods can be extended to describe critical phenomena in fluid mixtures.

Sengers, J. V.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Identification and measurement of combustion noise from a turbofan engine using correlation and coherence techniques

Fluctuating pressure measurements within the combustor and tailpipe of a turbofan engine are made simultaneously with far field acoustic measurements. The pressure measurements within the engine are accomplished with cooled semi-infinite waveguide probes utilizing conventional condenser microphones as the transducers. The measurements are taken over a broad range of engine operating conditions and for 16 far field microphone positions between 10 deg and 160 deg relative to the engine inlet axis. Correlation and coherence techniques are used to determine the relative phase and amplitude relationships between the internal pressures and far field acoustic pressures. The results indicate that the combustor is a low frequency source region for acoustic propagation through the tailpipe and out to the far field. Specifically, it is found that the relation between source pressure and the resulting sound pressure involves a 180 deg phase shift. The latter result is obtained by Fourier transforming the cross correlation function between the source pressure and acoustic pressure after removing the propagation delay time. Further, it is found that the transfer function between the source pressure and acoustic pressure has a magnitude approximately proportional to frequency squared. These results are shown to be consistent with a model using a modified source term in Lighthill's turbulence stress tensor, wherein the fluctuating Reynolds stresses are replaced with the pressure fluctuations due to fluctuating entropy.

Karchmer, A. M.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Interplanetary magnetic field power spectra - Mean field radial or perpendicular to radial

A detailed frequency analysis of Pioneer-6 interplanetary magnetic field data is carried out for 5 to 15 hour periods during which the mean interplanetary field is approximately radial or perpendicular to radial. The reason why these data sets were chosen is that by making the usual assumption that the phase speed of any wave present is much less than the mean solar wind speed, the measured frequency spectra can be interpreted in terms of the wave number parallel or perpendicular to the mean field, without such additional assumptions as isotropy or the dominance of a particular mode and without measurements of velocity and density. The details of the calculation of the magnetic field power spectra, coherencies, and correlation functions are discussed, along with results obtained directly from the data (such as spectra, slopes, anisotropies, and coherencies). The results are interpreted in terms of MHD theory, and are related to work in other areas.

Sari, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Experimental examination of similarity measures and preprocessing methods used for image registration

The criterion used to measure the similarity between images and thus find the position where the images are registered is examined. The three similarity measures considered are the correlation coefficient, the sum of the absolute differences, and the correlation function. Three basic types of preprocessing are then discussed: taking the magnitude of the gradient of the images, thresholding the images at their medians, and thresholding the magnitude of the gradient of the images at an arbitrary level to be determined experimentally. These multitemporal registration techniques are applied to remote imagery of agricultural areas.

Svedlow, M.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Solar-cycle dependence of galactic cosmic ray flux. II - The correlation between the nucleonic flux and solar indices

To investigate the relationship between solar activity and cosmic-ray modulation, time series of the nucleonic flux and of solar plages, sunspots, centimeter radio noise, and the brightness of the white-light corona at 1.1 and 1.5 solar radii from the center of sun are cross-correlated. Data pertain to the years 1964-1967 during the ascending phase of the current solar cycle. The amplitudes and phases of correlation functions for filtered and unfiltered indices are discussed. The existence of a superior solar index for relating solar activity to long-term modulation is not yet demonstrated conclusively, and the time lag of modulation is too poorly determined to permit its use in estimating the radius of the modulation region.

Parker, G. D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Precision calculation of the lowest 1S resonance in e-H scattering

The position and width of the lowest resonance in electron-hydrogen scattering have been calculated using a Hylleraas correlation function with up to 95 terms in the optical potential formalism. The results should be useful as calibration points for experimental electron scattering purposes. A formula relating the conventional (Breit-Wigner) width with the Feschbach formalism is derived.

Ho, Y. K.↗